Why Chuuk? It just had 8 years. Why Pohnpei? It just had 4 years. Kosrae never really had a full president and the current vice is the best qualified to clean house. I would be pissed if I were from Kosrae or Yap. The federation is not made in your favor. Chuukese and Pohnpeians dominate. The rest is history. Now speak up Kosraeans and Yapese. Is that what you asked for? To be shafted every four years by Chuuk and Pohnpei?

We cannot know for sure who would be the next President until the result of the election is finalized next week. However, it would most likely be either Pohnpei or Chuuk. Pohnpei because it is currently holding the post then Chuuk as they are the Majority and again it really depend on the Politics that goes on with the 14 members of the Congress. If I were the current President and I got elected back, I would humbly request from my other colleagues another 4 years. And as the good book says, ask, and it shall be given. Seek and ye shall find surely this will soften the minds of the other Senators to grant the humble request. How about that?

Many of us had been asking for corrupt officials to go to jail. Many of us want money for our kids to go to school. Many, many asking and nothing been given at all. I guess we will keep asking and continue looking for the "shall be given part."

With all the news about bribery involving Peter Christian's son-in-law and the case about him giving false information concerning his educational background so as to receive more money and hiring him back into the same post he held prior to his dismissal, coupled by the fact that President Christian's brother-in-law heads the department and Christian hiring his son-in-law's father to work in government should give Pohnpeians food for thought and the voters should think hard about who they must choose to represent them.

At a time when the funding under the compact is approaching its end, it is very important that those in government must be honest and above reproach.

Choose wisely. It is more than a person you are choosing to represent you. It is your future and the future of your children that is at stake.

Peter Christian's son-in-law is not Peter Christian! That is completely a different individual and he's old enough to be responsible for what he may have done. Peter Christian shouldn't be blamed for his for his son in law's allegations. After all he didn't even raise him. And, If he ever was associated with what the son-in-law did, that is the Micronesian Ways of Life. You protect your family and relatives regardless of what. That is Tradition and that's what brought us all here in the first place. Protecting and defending our own small families and so on. The question on his educational background mentioned has little bearings on what Peter Christian has done for Pohnpei and FSM as well. I say this because no one complaint about his education when he was appointment to head the Compact Negotiations that brought about this government we now have. I think he did exceedingly well. The evidence of which is this Compact that we are taking advantage of at the moment. I do not know about you folks but I also have worked with a lot of so called educated individuals over the past 35 years or so and they can never compare to Peter Christian in works and deeds. To top it all he holds a high Traditional title from the Kingdom of Nett, the 3rd Traditional Title rank to the Nahnmwarki's position.

And family and traditional titles do not supersede the laws which govern the land. It is placing family and traditional rank above the law that get a people in trouble. They think they are above the law and everyone else.

They are NOT. They are servants. They serve the interests of the public, not their own.

Maybe you have not heard in the Hawaii news that Pete Christian's son was involved in the bribery by Lyons. He was offered plenty money and the only question is whether he took it or not. His uncle, now the Secretary of Transportation was also mentioned in the article. Sounds like a family affair. Regarding who will be the next President, of course Chuuk because it has the majority in Congress. The only way one from Pohnpei, Yap or Kosrae will become the President is if these three States would be smart enough to pool their votes together to make it 8 to 6. However, history shows that for some reasons, these 3 states never got along and also for some reasons, Yap always go with Chuuk. So, it looks like that the next President of the FSM will be Wesley Simina, Kosrae will continue to hold the Vice Presidency, Figir from Yap will become the next Speaker. This is my prediction and I bet you I will be correct.

What is wrong if Chuuk gets the FSM Presidency? The current Speaker who is likely target of this discussion has all the qualifications: former Chuuk State Governor, Speaker, and has good legal education/training background. I think based on these qualifications, he'll do good for the FSM during this period as the COFA nations are preparing toward 2023's termination of the amended Compact's financial provisions. Just personal opinion since I am not from Chuuk.

We are eroding that so-called gentlemen agreement to now basically staying at the new normal that Kosraeans and Yapese in the 4-year seat are stupid because they don't have legal education? Marc you are usually of sound logic. This is low for you. Drink coffee my friend. Kosrae's George is more than qualified. Former Governor, former Chief Justice and was an FSM senator for years. Ambassador to the U.S. and the U.N. Chuuk just ended 8 years with Manny Mori before Peter Christian's 4 years. If Chuuk takes it again then that is what is wrong with Chuukese taking the presidency again. Also, Chuuk practically has its foot out the door and wanting to leave the Federation. Kosrae and Yap need to take their turns running our government and hopefully cleaning up our government while at it. Experience tells us that Pohnpei and Chuuk are just too corrupt. Only Chuukese senators, in bulk, have gone to jail for their ways with our public funds. Some Pohnpeians should have been in jail also.

I agree with you microspring. Smarts and experience are not enough to make a good leader. Give me honesty and good character every time. God will bless the nation of its leaders are honest and the fear of God is in them.

Now I see what both of you are saying. Yes, of course, I've always known that George is highly qualified. But I was thinking that a Chuukese president might be able to dissuade the "pro-independence" group from causing more disharmony in the federation.

On the other hand, just because he's Chuukese, it is very possible for local politics to put more pressure on the national-level discourse. George could be more stabilizing force--to hold the federation together into the future, especially, as we enter the critical next couple of years leading to 2023. Good ideas; good discussion.

The voters still align with family and regions. Many are quite ignorant of politics at the national level and do not understand the working or government.

The country founded on the principal of fair representation and the democratic process do not employ a true democratic choosing of her president. The USA elects presidents by electoral balloting, even though the popular vote is used. As in recent elections, we witnessed how a few thousands choose the presidents in spite of millions who voted for the ultimate losers.

It may work well for the FSM to wait a mother decade then amend the constitution to effect a change in its selection of the president.

As it stands today, there are basically two candidates for the office of the presidency every four years. The other two four-year term members of Congress are just there for one of them to be selected as vice-president.

Why do we discuss such issue of the FSM Present and started a fist fight among Chuuk and the other States? Does any one have known any plan for what Chuuk already decided to do? I think its wrong to express our hope and use as a way of campaigning to influe ence Chuuk and the other Sates to fight over the FSM President. I believe Chuuk already know what is best for the FSM Nation, Chuuk State and its citizen. So keep pounding on the rock of Sokas and be not surprise for how much Chuuk care of our well being and the best thing to do before 2023. Chuuk need a good group to work with before the ending of the compact financial part in 2023. Chuuk already knows who and when can we execute the good plan for our nation. We need to have cooperation among our self and competent person that know the local and international issues that we need to deal with right away. Lets agree that either one of Wesley or George can be the President or the Speaker of the FSM Congress. Pohnpei and Yap can be the vise President or the vise speaker of the congress.

There are various reasons that you explain for the benefit of holding the Presidency or not. Most of your points are fine and reasonable. But which among your reason would provide peace, unity and cooperation among the FSMers? Do we need to be unified before the end of the financial section in compact? Some people explain that with Chuuk secede from the Federation, the other States will be better off Are you really sure about that? What make you think so? In the case for Chuuk. Their reason to secede is to improve their financial situation with changing partner and become a good partner with China.The first part of the case for Chuuk is a short of financial funding for Chuuk State.The first question is, Can the FSM made some sacrifice to make adjustments, amendments, reapportionment to at least increase Chuuk assistance in order for Chuuk to do some slow speed destruction of its culture and accommodate progress changes in a timely manner to meet the needs for Chuuk?The second question is, can certain arrangement be made through the National government, for each State to establish economic relations with China an other Nation without affecting the FSM political relation with US? I am just saying.

So, first thing first: It's my understanding that there will be a "re-vote" for Kosrae State this week. The re-vote will be limited to Pohnpei Kosraeans since the allegations against the last election was that the ballots ran out; so many Kosraeans in Pohnpei did not have a chance to vote. And since the difference was only 10 votes, Palik asked for a recount and/or revote. I don't know all the legal technicalities.

Anyways, the results of the re-vote will determine whether the winner will continue to be George; or it will be Aren Palik, the challenger. After the Kosrae winner is declared by the FSM National Government, then, the discussion about the potential President can take place. So that is what I heard; not 100% sure but I think so.

Marc, please accept my apology and respect and, I do not want to argue on the points. Good points not good points, unity of FSM may continue if Chuuk wait for the next time. Yap State should be next President if not Korsae, not Chuuk.

I think it's Kosrae's turn. The so-called "gentlemen's agreement" calls for the presidency to rotate among all the four FSM states. The agreement does not say anything about whether one is young or old; a veteran of the FSM national government or a new person--as long as he/she is from one of the states. Kosrae, according to one of the posts above, has not had yet a full four year term--always selected to carry out remainder of somebody's presidency. Both Kosrae candidates--George and Palik--are highly qualified in their own unique ways to assume the mantle of the presidency. Good luck to all!

The FSM Congress stopped using the "Gentlemen Agreement" over 20 years ago. This is the reason why Kosrae never gets the Presidency. They always give Kosrae "left-overs". So far, we have not heard or read about any serious protests or public outcry from Korsae in or out of the FSM Congress chamber in Palikir regarding this.

My feeling is that if Kosrae did not become President, then, the decision reflects pure politics without regard to the spirit of the gentlemen's agreement; and lack of the spirit in taking actions that would preserve the FSM union.

I think that both Kosrae candidates are more qualified than most members of the Congress. George has been the Vice President, a Judge, a Senator, an Ambassador and has held many different administrative positions in various governments even starting during the Trust Territory time. In terms of government governance, I don't know of another Senator, except Urusumal, who has more experience in government management than George.

As for Palik, he stands out among all Micronesians--from Palau, all the FSM states and to the Marshall Islands. I am not a Kosraean so I don't have a particular bias agenda.

I believe he has a degree in economics and was staff of the Kosrae government for a long time. And he's been the President of the regional bank which is based in Guam; the one owned by governments in the region. You cannot achieve that kind of position without being sharp and smart and knowledgeable about financing, risk assessment, multi-million dollar loans--private and government financing scheme-and being able to stick to it year after year.

If he were given an opportunity to be FSM President, he will be the right person at the right time to lead the FSM. I say this because we all know that economic development in the FSM is lacking, to say the least. We also know that the Trust Fund will be the main source of income--now that we know there will be no US appropriated funds at 2023 and beyond.

Who could be in the best position to know how to deal with investments, risk management, different investment schemes and instruments, dealing with outside investors, evaluate risky investments as may be recommended by the Trust Funds' managers, etc. etc.

I think if Palik were to become the next FSM President, we can sleep at night a little bit better because we will know that the Trust Fund will be in better position in order to earn maximum earning potentials. He will make sure that the FSM does not get involved with risky investments. He will not be swayed by "sweet talkers" out there who are trying to get a piece of the Trust Fund.

I think he'll do good for the FSM. Along that line, if George became the President, I would hope that Palik will run to fill George's seat; and serve as the new four-year Senator from Kosrae. His financial management skill; and his economic development background will greatly contribute to the betterment of the FSM in the future.

He stands our shoulder to shoulder with big players in the financial market world. In fact, I think he is quite a lot more knowledgeable about banking and financing than the current Governor of Guam--who is part owner of the Bank of Guam. I am not saying this to diminish Guam Governor; but I am saying this to say that Palik will be able to stand shoulder to shoulder to any expert in the financial market in this side of the Pacific. Just my thoughts.